Ranking the Top Candidates for the Hart Trophy in 2014-15 NHL Season
We're going back to basics for this ranking, an updated version of the top candidates for the Hart Trophy in the 2014-15 NHL season.
By basics, I mean the actual definition of the Hart criteria—given annually to the player judged to be most valuable to his team. He doesn't necessarily have to be the league's leading goal scorer or point producer or advanced stats leader, but someone whose team couldn't possibly be as successful as it has been so far this season without his services.
Plenty of those players have come to light with the addition of the past month's body of work. Others have made it even more difficult to judge who the top dog is on their own team. This has decreased the value of a guy like Sidney Crosby and Jakub Voracek, who are backed by the likes of Evgeni Malkin and Claude Giroux in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, respectively.
Previous versions of the ranking did take the literal translation of MVP of the team rather than the league into account to some degree, so there are still familiar names in similar positions, but there are many new additions that have rocketed up based on contributions to their team's relative success.
Click ahead to see the latest list.
All stats courtesy of NHL.com and Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.
Honorable Mentions
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John Tavares, New York Islanders: He has company at the top of the Islanders' list of contributors but is still the straw that stirs the Long Island drink. The emergence of Jaroslav Halak as a reliable netminder, continued progression of Kyle Okposo and breakout by Brock Nelson somewhat diminish Tavares' spot on this list, but not by a great deal thanks to his big minutes and consistency. In 36 games he has 15 goals, 17 assists for 32 points, along with two game-winners.
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: Stamkos has the Lightning leading the Eastern Conference standings, and his 20 goals are enough for fourth place in the league in that category. The supporting cast has steadily improved, however, and it's no longer just the captain's club. From goalie Ben Bishop to linemate Ryan Callahan and a cast of young stars in bloom, Stamkos is a less heavily relied-on headliner.
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks: Toews and Patrick Kane are constantly in a hypothetical battle for the team's MVP in order to qualify for a list like this one. Toews isn't producing quite as much offensively, but his numbers are still among the top 20 in the NHL and he has stronger possession numbers than Kane (via Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com). In 36 games Toews has 13 goals, 18 assists, 31 points and a plus-11 rating along with one shorthanded goal and two game-winners.
10. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
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Previous ranking: First
By the numbers: 33 games, 11 goals, 27 assists, 38 points, plus-nine, 101 shots, one game-winner
Bottom line: Realistically, voters are going to give Crosby credit even though there are others on the team who are big factors in the Pittsburgh Penguins' success—with goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and center Evgeni Malkin leading the team in Crosby's absence when he sat out with the mumps. Count me in the group that considers his value to the team much greater than its other stars.
Despite the bout with the aforementioned mumps and a plethora of injuries to linemates, Crosby's point-per-game average is still fifth best in the NHL, and his possession numbers via Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com are better than Malkin's. So is his plus/minus rating.
9. Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
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Previous ranking: Seventh
By the numbers: 35 games, 25 goals, 18 assists, 43 points, 142 shots, plus-four, six power-play goals, four game-winners
Bottom line: As long as Seguin is leading the league's snipers with the most goals, he'll be in the Hart Trophy conversation regardless of the Dallas Stars' playoff hopes. A 60-goal pace will do that for a player.
8. Jakub Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers
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Previous ranking: Sixth
By the numbers: 36 games, 14 goals, 32 assists, 46 points, plus-13, 109 shots, two game-winners
Bottom line: Jakub Voracek is not slowing down in his best NHL season to date, but the fact another elite scorer, Claude Giroux, is up in the top group vying for the Art Ross Trophy begs the question which one is more important to his team? For now the edge goes to Voracek, who has a slight advantage in the points department and leads the NHL there.
7. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
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Previous ranking: Unranked (Honorable Mention)
By the numbers: 20-9-1 record, .928 save percentage, 2.19 goals-against average, two shutouts
Bottom line: Carey Price has allowed one goal against in five of his last seven starts and hasn't allowed more than two in any of those. He's lost just one of those games and has the Montreal Canadiens in second place in the Atlantic Division standings. His win total is second best in the league, and his save percentage and GAA are fifth and seventh best, respectively.
Considering the lack of offensive support—the Habs are the only Eastern Conference team currently in a playoff spot that hasn't scored at least 100 goals—Price has been the key to his team's success.
6. Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
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Previous ranking: Unranked
By the numbers: 36 games, eight goals, 23 assists, 31 points, 70 shots, plus-three, 56.9 faceoff percentage, 58.9 Corsi-for percentage
Bottom line: Joe Thornton continues to be the consistent face of the San Jose Sharks franchise despite the offseason turmoil that led to him being stripped of the captaincy and bandied about in trade rumors. He's the team's leading scorer but more importantly is a clutch playmaker whose possession stats are simply outstanding, according to Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.
As a result, the Sharks are in the thick of a tight race in the Pacific Division and have won eight of 11 games in December to make a charge up the standings.
5. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues
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Previous ranking: Eighth
By the numbers: 35 games, 21 goals, 17 assists, 38 points, plus-18, four game-winners, 122 shots
Bottom line: Vladimir Tarasenko leads the St. Louis Blues in scoring and is third in the NHL in goals. The 23-year-old has become one of the league's top offensive talents but is more than just his goals and point totals. He's among the NHL's top five in plus/minus and game-winning goals. The Blues are still in the hunt for a Central Division title, although they have their work cut out for them.
4. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
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Previous ranking: Unranked
By the numbers: 37 games, 12 goals, 30 assists, 42 points, plus-11, 90 shots, three game-winners, 20:31 average ice time/game
Bottom line: While his usual partner in crime has been missing from his flank because of a bout with the mumps and a knee injury, Ryan Getzlaf hasn't missed a step. The Anaheim Ducks captain is cruising right along, sitting third in NHL scoring and playing more than 20 minutes per game in every situation to help the Ducks remain at the front of the flock—leading the NHL in the standings.
3. Rick Nash, New York Rangers
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Previous ranking: Unranked (Honorable Mention)
By the numbers: 34 games, 23 goals, 13 assists, 36 points, plus-16, three short-handed goals, three game-winners, 123 shots
Bottom line: Rick Nash has more than twice as many goals as the next closest New York Ranger, Martin St. Louis (11), and is carrying the offense for a team that has jumped back into playoff contention with an eight-game winning streak into the holiday season. Nash is closing the gap on goal-scoring leader Tyler Seguin and is top 10 in plus/minus, shots and short-handed markers.
Nash is also playing on the penalty kill and ranks among the top five in takeaways, indicating a strong overall game to support his impressive offensive numbers. He's on track for his best NHL season to date and is the Rangers' key player in a potential return to the Stanley Cup Final.
2. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
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Previous ranking: Third
By the numbers: 23-6-2 record, .934 save percentage, 1.88 goals-against average, three shutouts
Bottom line: Pekka Rinne continues to lead the league in wins, and his save percentage and goals-against averages are both second best in the NHL. He has allowed more than three goals against in a single game just three times and came away with a win in one of those.
The Nashville Predators are second in the Central Division and in contention for the best record in the conference and league. Last year when Rinne was recovering from hip surgery and battling an infection, the Predators missed the playoffs. He's a difference-maker that former coach Barry Trotz told NHL.com's Dan Rosen is the reason the Preds made the postseason so often:
"If we had him last year I think we would have made it to the playoffs. I always say a goalie like (Rinne) is worth 20 points in the standings. That's how we made it every year. We had good enough defense, could score enough, and we had a great goaltender.
"
1. Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
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Previous ranking: Second
By the numbers: 38 games, 10 goals, 25 assists, 35 points, plus-17, two game-winners, one short-handed goal, 88 shots
Bottom line: Despite an eight-game losing streak in December, the Calgary Flames are still in the hunt for a wild-card spot in the tough Western Conference. No small part of that is credit to defenseman Mark Giordano's offensive production, his ability to shut down top opponents and his leadership. He leads all NHL defensemen in points with nearly one per game on average and has scored nearly 10 percent of his team's goals.
If you take him out of the picture, the Flames are battling with the Edmonton Oilers for worst in the conference.
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